6th May 2016

Doha Diamond League

6 May 2016

The opening IAAF Diamond League of the season gets underway on Friday with a number of British athletes kicking off their 2016 outdoor seasons.

Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (coach: Fuzz Caan) will be determined to continue where he left off after winning silver at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland in March. In what will be one of the most competitive fields of the evening, Grabarz will lock horns with 2.40m jumpers Mutaz Essa-Barshim and Derek Drouin as well as Olympic silver medallist Erik Kynard, all of whom will compete at the Birmingham Diamond League in June. World silver medallist Zhang Guowei and Grabarz’s training partner Marco Fassinotti will also be competing.  

Making her first appearance on the track in 2016, European champion Eilidh Doyle (nee Child) (Malcolm Arnold) will join teammate Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin) in the 400m hurdles as the duo go head-to-head with double world champion Zuzana Hejnova.

Fresh from securing an Olympic A qualifying standard in California last weekend, Eilish McColgan (Liz McColgan) will look to put her good early start to the season to test as she takes to a strong 3000m field in Doha. The 25 year old, who has switched from the 3000m steeplechase to the 5000m clocked 15:09.94 to go comfortably inside the 15:24.00 qualifying mark.

After a breakthrough in 2015, which saw her finish fifth at the IAAF World Championships, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Jon Bigg) returns to the global stage in an 800m field that includes world-lead Caster Semenya and compatriot Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow).

Nathan Douglas (Aston Moore) will make his first appearance in Doha in eight years as the two-time Olympian looks to gather momentum to make his third Games in Rio this summer. Douglas will have two 18 metre jumpers in close company with multiple global gold medallist Christian Taylor joined by Teddy Tamgho, world champion in 2013.

Among the international stars taking part at the IAAF Diamond League in Doha are: David Oliver, Aries Merritt (both 110m hurdles), Asbel Kiprop (1500m), LaShawn Merritt (400m), Dafne Schippers, Veronica Campbell-Brown (both 100m) and Caterine Ibarguen (triple jump).

Live coverage tomorrow is available on Eurosport 2 from 17:00.

You can also watch highlights on BBC one on Saturday 7 May at 13:00.

The IAAF Diamond League returns to the UK in June, with the Alexander Stadium hosting the Birmingham Diamond League on 5 June. The 10th stop of the world series will see world’s best athletes descend on London for the London Anniversary Games 22-23 July. For tickets and more information, please visit http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/home/#